


How the Stars Shine

by SomeGoodSheith



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Fix-It, M/M, Minor Allura/Lance (Voltron), POV Outsider, Sort Of, Unrequited Crush, curtis has a crush on shiro but shiro has his eyes only on SOMEONE ELSE, lance says this one inappropriate thing but is cut short, matt for the rescue, sheith for the win baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 07:06:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18686554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeGoodSheith/pseuds/SomeGoodSheith
Summary: Curtis had always had a crush on Shiro. Yet the day Shiro was gone, he thought he would never see him again.However, Shiro comes back, and with him - comes hope.Little does he know that he never really had a chance. Matt takes it upon himself to show him exactly that.





	How the Stars Shine

Curtis was never really close to anyone. He had some friends, sure, but he never felt significant to any of them, or anyone else for that matter. His work was rather average and his grades were okay, yet not the best in his classes; being so transparent, he felt a bit empty. Always in the back, never really noticed.

But there was only one man of whom he admired to no end. A man that made sure to tell him that he did great, to never give up, to always inspire to do his best. 

This kindness that was shown to him by Takashi Shirogane always made Curtis's heart race. 

Yet he never had the chance to tell him how he felt. Firstly, at the time, Shiro had a boyfriend. Other than that, the man was always working, always around cadets and officers to guide and teach; he was just so smart and kind, even professor Holt came to talk to him from time to time. 

Most of all, however, he saw Shiro with a short boy in a red jacket and a thick mullet, a young student he took under his wing. 

It was different with him. Curtis always envied those shoulder touches he witnessed, those long strolls he saw them taking in the yard, those never-ending conversations that were shared between just the two of them. 

Curtis wanted that. He wanted to be such a good friend to Shiro as the other was. But he never was. He never even had the courage to approach Shiro on his own, to ask to get to know him better. 

Then, Shiro went on a mission to outer space with Professor Holt and his son. That year without him, without his small encouraging words and occasional greetings, was harder than Curtis was willing to admit, even to himself. 

And then, came the news. 

“Pilot Error”, they said. He couldn't believe this is the way Shiro would go. The best pilot in the entire facility of the Galaxy Garrison? It didn't make much sense. 

However, his ex-boyfriend accepted it, just like everyone else accepted it, and Curtis couldn't help but lean towards the statement of the crowd. 

But not  _ him _ . That short cadet that always used to be with Shiro refused to acknowledge such a terrible fate, made a fuss about it, and got kicked out.

Even in his expulsion, Curtis envied his determination. Even more than he envied Shiro's very ex-boyfriend. 

But it didn't matter anymore. Shiro was gone. That kid was gone. 

Nothing had much meaning anymore. 

 

*

 

Curtis lifted his head as he heard the alarms of the facility roaring through the walls. Tucking his book underneath his arm, he got up and ran through the yard and into the Garrison’s building. 

He saw a random cadet and stopped her. “What happened? It's the second time, after yesterday!”

“I don't know!” the cadet told him in a hurry. “I heard that yesterday, an alien ship landed right outside of the Garrison. Now they say whoever was inside is gone, with four people!”

“I heard they're cadets,” another student said after running towards them. “I didn't see it but I heard Officer Iverson saying something about a Blue Lion.”

Curtis frowned. “A what?”

An officer rushed towards them, clapping her hands to make them hurry. “Cadets, back to your dorm. That's an order. Go on!”

The three looked at her one more time, before going each to their room. 

Sometimes , Curtis didn't understand anything in this place. 

 

*

 

The time passed. Curtis was promoted in tech and management. His piloting skills were lacking, and he wasn't exactly a genius in mechanics, but he knew computers and he reached good achievements with hard work and determination. Soon he worked with top ranked officers, in secret missions and elite teams. 

He was there when suddenly Commander Holt was back. He was there when he explained everything that happened to him, that Shiro was still alive, that it was Shiro who escaped the Garrison all that time ago with a few cadets in a Blue Lion. 

_ Of course _ , that short student in a jacket and a mullet was among them. 

From that day forward, Curtis was in Holt’s team. He helped in the background however he could, to protect earth from their potential enemy. 

Finally, he had a sense of purpose. 

 

*

 

An invasion was inevitable. 

But luckily, so was Shiro's return. 

Between battles in a war earth was pushed into by forces he was yet to fully understand, Curtis found himself on Shiro's team, in a brand new ship that was meant to be earth's guardian. 

In Shiro's command, along with team  _ Voltron _ , that's exactly what it was. 

 

*

 

More time passed. Earth was relatively safe and rebuild, and became a refuge for aliens from all over the in known galaxy. 

A team of rebels settled in the ATLAS ship after a collaborated mission. Curtis didn't know most of them - only Matt, who was Commander Holt’s son. Captain Shirogane, as he referred to him now, seemed to be quite close to him, too; ever since the commander was back, communicating with his son almost never stopped, and after the captain and his friends reunited with earth, their teamwork with Matt and his crew was so natural, it seemed they were doing it for a while now. 

Then it all meant one thing to Curtis: Matt was close enough to the captain to have a private conversation. 

He couldn't go to anyone else, really. Griffin was too strict with the rules and regulations, and would never approve of what Curtis had in mind. The others were never that experienced, or would only laugh at him or misunderstand. Now that Matt was around, he had the perfect opportunity to finally ask for a way to confess his lingering feelings towards the captain. 

He caught the rebel leader and pulled him to a side room inside the enormous ship. 

“So what did you want to talk about?” Matt asked curiously. 

“It's about the captain,” Curtis told him, gulping nervously. He was still excited about all of this - never in his life did he think he would have such a chance. “I… does he… does he have someone?”

Matt seemed to be stunned. “I'm sorry?”

“Someone. Romantically. I'm - I'm sorry if I speak out of term, I know it shouldn't be my business, but I - I… just…”

“You have feelings for him,” the other observed. “Oh my God.”

“Y-yeah…”

“Oh. Oh God. That explains so much.”

“It does?”

“Curtis. I'm - I'm sure your feelings are genuine but I think that that's why you must be so, um - blind.”

“B-blind? What do you mean?” he murmured. 

“You were in many conferences with team Voltron, right?” Matt asked him. 

“Yeah…? What does it have to do with anything?”

“And you never noticed anything about Shiro? Where his attention was directed to, who he talked to the most, who he listened to the most? Who he sat with all the time?”

“No? I'm mean… I just listen to him and Commander Holt. He talks to everybody, I mean, he's really kind and he gives everyone a place to talk and express their opinion, and he's really brave in making the r-”

“Okay, okay, hold it there. You crush is making you high and you need to go down and  _ fast. _ ”

“I'm afraid I don't follow you.”

“It's just - you're nice. You're really nice and helpful and all. But that's exactly why you shouldn't try to confess.”

“What? Why?” Curtis blinked. Why was Matt so vague instead of just saying what he wanted to say? 

“It's just… uh,” he looked at his watch and then at Curtis. “It's almost lunch. Let's go together - I'll show you what I'm talking about.”

“Okay…” Curtis raised an eyebrow. He still didn't get what Matt was implying, but it would never hurt to listen. 

 

*

 

They reached the huge dining room of the ATLAS just in time that lunch was served. Curtis immediately spotted Shiro's team, the pilots and the ship’s crew, but didn't see Shiro himself with them. He hummed, but he wasn't that surprised - the captain wasn't around them during those times. The pilots preferred it that way, as well, although he knew it would be a pretty good bonding experience to eat along with the crew. 

“There,” Matt stopped him from walking and directed his gaze to the far left of the room. Team Voltron sat around the table, talking enthusiastically among themselves, and Shiro sat with them. The man Curtis once only knew as “the student with the mullet” and now knew was Keith, the leader of Voltron, sat closely to the captain with his arms folded and his leg on top of his knee. 

Curtis wasn't surprised, but it didn't seem to bother him either. 

“He sits with his old crew,” he told Matt. “That's natural. He just sits with his friends.”

“Just his friends… Yeah,” Matt chuckled, “let's go see what they're talking about, mm?”

“Okay…” he was soon led closer to the team of seven. They were deep in their own conversation, and didn't seem to notice either of them was there. 

That is, except of the green paladin - Pidge, if he remembered correctly - who seemed to know exactly what was going on with one single glance on her brother. 

“Hey Shiro,” she said, interrupting his conversation with Keith. “Lance, Hunk and I were thinking about going to the space mall in the next galaxy to see if they have a human-game shop. Do you guys wanna join us?”

“That sounds fun,” the captain smiled, and immediately moved his gaze towards Keith. “What do you say, Keith? Do you wanna go? It could be fun to set our minds off before the next mission.”

The latter seemed to be thinking about that for a moment. “My mom wants me to join a mission with the Blades tomorrow , so I was thinking about training today.”

“Oh?” Shiro looked at him. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it's just not really Voltron related. We'll be fine, Shiro.”

“I can come with, if you want.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yeah. And today. We always train together anyways, so I can stay while the guys are going to the mall. And I know I'm not really related to any Blades mission but I think I can be useful.”

“Yeah sure, I'll just let Krolia and Kolivan know.” Keith smiled. 

Curtis observed them as they spoke. Keith's hand touched Shiro's thigh gently, and they looked at each other longly for a moment. That is, until the blue paladin made a barfing sound, and Keith eyed him back with squinted eyes. 

“I'm going to take more dessert,” Keith said, and while he was getting up, his hand was leaned on Shiro's shoulder. The other looked at him with a smile, one that caught his attention and made him smile back, “do you want one too, Shiro?”

“I'd love that,” he hummed, his grey eyes piercing into the almost-purple ones. 

“Can I have one too?” Lance asked, and within an instant, Keith's soft expression changed into an annoyed frown. 

“Get your own!” he replied, and with that, took his leave. 

Blinking at the scene, Curtis turned to Matt and watched him with wide eyes. Matt, in turn, smirked from ear to ear, glad his point was proven. 

“So Shiro,” Pidge hummed, as she was having the very same expression as her brother. Curtis moved his gaze to her, curious. “You and Keith got much closer recently, right?”

“W-what? We - we were always close,” Shiro stuttered, an immediately visible blush coating his cheeks. 

“She's right though, man. You make the face when you look at him.” Hunk intervened. 

“The face? What face?”

“You're kidding, right? Please tell me he's kidding.” Lance slapped his own forehead with frustration. 

“You're making the kind of face Lance does when he looks at Allura,” Hunk pointed out, and all the others nodded at the statement - even the two Alteans did. 

“You're making the kind of face Pidge does at while looking at new tech. Or when Hunk looks at a doughnut,” the blue paladin added. 

“W- I don't want to eat him, Lance.” Shiro argued. 

“Not like that, you don't. “

“Lance.”

“I'm joking!”

“No you weren't,” Pidge rolled her eyes. “But the point stands. You like Keith. Keith likes you. We can all see it, we've always seen it. I mean, look at you! You leaned against each other the entire time we're here. Hell, he just put his hand on your  _ thigh _ and neither of you had a problem with it. The only wonder is how the hell you guys aren't together yet. Unless you're together and you just didn't tell anyone.”

To that, Shiro fell completely silent. However, he didn't need to say anything - his expression said it all. 

Keith came back just at that time, and was taken aback by the disturbing quiet around the table. He looked at Shiro and how  _ red _ he was, and immediately frowned at the rest of his friends. “What did you do?” he asked, especially gazing at Lance. 

“Nothing! We just talked!”

“It's nothing, Keith. Come sit with me,” Shiro smiled softly at him, and Keith complied. They ate the two desserts from the same plate, and the Captain looked at the paladin from time to time, his eyes filled with softness. 

When they were done, he whispered something in his ear that Curtis couldn't hear, but Keith nodded, and the two walked away after excusing themselves. Curtis followed them with his gaze, and he could see it - their hands brushing together as they walked.

Defeated, he sighed and looked down at the floor. 

He never really had a chance, hasn't he? 

“Don't worry, man. You'll find someone else.” Matt told him. “I understand you, though. Shiro is really something… but not all of us can shoot for the stars and have a certain win. But that's exactly what makes Keith so different. When others shot for the stars in hope to win, he took the first opportunity he had and chased that star all by himself. And from what they told me, he chased him times and times again, every chance he had, just to make sure he's safe. Such devotion… you don't see that every day.”

“You're right,” Curtis said quietly. He was sad, and he will be for a while, but knowing even a little of what Keith had done for Shiro - he had to accept that they were not a regular couple. They were a spectacular one .  “It's okay. I'll be okay.”

“Sorry… I just didn't want you to have false hope.”

“I know. Thank you for that.”

In the corner of his eye, he could see it. A kiss in a narrow hallway, between two men he knew from the start he was jealous of. 

He was only human, and they were two stars. Stars that have seen things he couldn't even imagine, yet always stuck together. 

All he could do was watch them both shine. 


End file.
